Apparatus for making wall panel frames



March 11, 1969 G. H. BOWERS, JR

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WALL PANEL FRAMES Filed July 27, 1966 INVENTOR March 11, 1969 H. BOWERS, JR 3,431,619

APPARATUS FOR MAKING WALL PANEL FRAMES Filed July 27. 1966 Sheet 2 0f 2 INVE/VT'OR a. HUNTER HOWE/mm By I --L ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,431,619 APPARATUS FOR MAKING WALL PANEL FRAMES Grayson Hunter Bowers, Jr., 231 E. Patrick St., Frederick, Md. 21701 Filed July 27, 1966, Ser. No. 568,280 U.S. Cl. 29-200 Int. Cl. B23p 19/00 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of wall panels for use in the construction of buildings and the invention more specifically pertains to a mechanism supporting and holding frame elements of a wall panel in proper assembled relationship while the studding and plate elements are secured to each other and to means for moving the assembled frames from the mechanism.

In the building of homes and other structures it has become increasingly advantageous to fabricate units for use in a building. It is a known practice to manufacture wall panels so that they may be transported to the site where the building is to be erected. It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus facilitating the assembly of the studs and plates of a wall panel frame and for holding such elements in a correct relationship while the plates and the studding are secured to each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus which supports edges of the studs in a common plane and to provide means in association therewith for clamping the plate elements to the ends of the studding with the edges of the plates in the same plane as the edges of the studs whereby the frame elements may be secured to each other while they remain in such an assembled relationship.

Another object of the invention is to provide conveyor means in association with a table which provides support for the studding while the frame for a wall panel is assembled with each plate element overlying a conveyor at the associated side of the table including means for raising and lowering the table whereby the completed frame may be supported on the conveyors for movement away from the table.

Other objects and features of the inventionwill be appreciated and become apparent as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the table portion only of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a wall panel frame.

The frame for a prefabricated wall panel as shown in FIG. 6 includes an upper plate 11 and a bottom plate 12 with the plates arranged at right angles to the studs 9 and ill 3,431,619 Patented Mar. 11, 1969 10. The upper plate 11 and lower plate 12 are secured to the ends of the studs in any suitable manner such as by nailing. The present invention pertains to apparatus for facilitating the assembly of such studding and plates and for holding them in correct assembled relationship while the structural elements are secured to each other. Such apparatus is shown in the drawings and it includes conveyors 14 and 16 which may be of free rotating roller type. The conveyor 14 is arranged along one side of a table and includes rollers 17 with their peripheries in one general plane. The rollers 17 are supported at their ends by longitudinally extending elements 18. The conveyor 16 is of similar construction and includes rollers 21 individually supported for rotation by longitudinally extending elements 22. In one embodiment the conveyor 14 laterally of the table 15 includes rollers 26 which are of less length measured along their axis than the rollers 17. Another longitudinally extending element 27 supports the inner ends of the rollers 26. The axis of all of the rollers 26 may be inclined at a small angle to a horizontal plane as will be apparent from a consideration of FIG. 4. The axes of the rollers 21 may also be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. The conveyor 16 is supported by posts 28 and 29 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. These posts are arranged at spaced intervals along the length of the conveyor. The conveyor 14 is supported in a similar man ner by posts 31 and 32. These posts support the conveyors and the table at such a level as to provide a suitable work bench.

The table 15 is supported by a plurality of pneumatic devices carried by the structure which supports the conveyors. One group of pneumatic devices 34 are mounted at spaced intervals along the conveyor 14 and under the adjacent edge portion of the table 15. Each pneumatic device 34 is supported by a bracket 37 which is in turn supported by the posts 31 and 32. A plurality of pneumatic devices 36 are supported at spaced intervals along the conveyor 16 and under the other edge of the table 15. Each pneumatic device 36 is supported by a bracket 38 carried by two posts 28 and 29. A piston rod 41 extends from each of the pneumatic devices 34 and is attached to the under side of the table. A piston rod 42 projects from each pneumatic device 36. When air under pressure is admitted simultaneously to all of the pneumatic devices 34 and 36 the table 15 is raised so that the upper surface thereof lies in a plane indicated at 40. This plane intersects the approximate midpoint of the inclined rollers 21 and the midpoint of the inclined rollers 26. When air is permitted to escape from the pneumatic devices 34 and 36 the table 15 lowers by .gravity action so that the upper surface of the table is below the plane whereby the plates 11 and 12 of the frame for a Wall panel is then supported by the conveyors.

A bar 46 is supported by the conveyor 14 and it projects above the peripheries of the rollers 26 as shown in FIG. 4. The bar 46 is of such length as to extend throughout the length of the table 15 (FIG. 1). The bar 46 is supported in a fixed position by arms which extend upwardly between two rollers 26. A bracket 47 supports the associated arm 45 on a pair of posts 31 and 32. The bar 46 extends above the peripheries of the rollers 26 at the midportion thereof as will be appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 4. The bar 46 serves as an abutment for the plate 11 and the' utility thereof will be appreciated as the disclosure proceeds.

A plurality of clamp elements 48 are arranged at spaced intervals along the conveyor 16 throughout the length of the table 15. The clamp elements 48 project above the peripheries of the rollers 21 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. Each clamp element is activated by a pneumatic device 51 disposed in a generally horizontal position as shown in FIG. 5 and secured in a fixed position by a 3 bracket 52 attached to a rail 2-2 of the conveyor 16. A piston rod 53 of each pneumatic device 51 activates one of the clamping elements 48. The lower end of each clamping element 48 is guided by a rib 54 which extends into a notch formed in the lower end of an associated clamping element 48.

Upstanding stop members 56 and 57 are arranged at the end of the table 15 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The inner faces of these members are in a common plane disposed at right angles to the abutment bar 46. These stop members are adapted to be engaged by a side face of a first stud 9 of a wall panel frame when it is arranged "on the table 15 and the inner vertical faces of the stop members 56 and 57 dispose the stud 9 at right angles to the abutment bar 46.

In operation and when it is desired to assemble the structural elements for a wall panel frame the plate 11 is laid on the rollers 26 inside the abutment bar 46. The stud 9 is then arranged transversely of the table 15 with one end of the stud 9 substantially in engagement with the inner face of the plate 11. The other studs 10 may then be arranged on the table and spaced from each other with the common ends of the studs 10 in abutting relationship with the inner face of the plate 11. Detachable pins 61 may be provided on the table 15 projecting above the upper surface to serve as guides for spacing the studs on desired centers. The plate 12 is arranged on and supported by the rollers 21 inside the clamping elements 48 and in position to engage the other ends of the stud 9 and the studs 10. Air under ressure is then admitted to the cylinders of all of the pneumatic devices 51, The clamping elements 48 then shift the plate 12 into engagement with the ends of the studs 9 and 10. The plate 11 remains along the bar 46 in abutting relationship therewith and the plate 12 and the plate 11 are thus held in firm engagement with the ends of the studding. While the frame elements remain clamped the plates 11 and 12 may be secured to the studding.

It will be appreciated that the under edges of the studs are supported in a common plane. A projection of the plane of the upper surface of the table as indicated at 40 in FIG. 4 insures that the under edges of the :plates are also in the plane of the upper surface of the table 15. After the frame elements have been secured to each other the pneumatic devices 34 and 36 are deactivated whereby the table 15 moves to a lowered position and no longer supports the wall panel frame. The assembled frame is then supported by the rollers 21 and 26. After the clamping elements 48 are released the assembled frame may be moved to the left in FIG. 1 on the conveyors 14 and 16 to a position for processing or for transportation to a building site. The assembled frame may be moved to the right in FIG. 1 and the conveyors may be extended in that direction.

While the invention has been described with regard to one organization of elements it will be appreciated that changes may be made in the overall assembly as well as in the components. The table 15 may be altered and formed as a skeleton type structure. The rollers of the conveyors may have the upper peripheries thereof arranged in the horizontal plane of the top surface of the table when it is in its uppermost position. Other types of conveyors may also be employed in association with the table. Such modifications and others may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Apparatus for making wall panel frames formed of studs and end plates comprising, two substantially parallel horizontally spaced conveyors, a table disposed intermediate said conveyors, means supporting said table in position between said conveyors with the upper surface of the table generally in the plane of both conveyors whereby studs may be supported on the table with a top plate supported on one conveyor and a bottom plate supported on the other conveyor, fixed means extending longitudinally of one conveyor thereabove forming an abutment for the top plate, clamping means positioned along the other conveyor thereabove for engaging the bottom plate, means for moving said clamping means towards said fixed means urging the bottom plate into engagement with ends of the studs and other ends of the studs into engagement with the top plate whereby the studs and plates thus assembled and held may be secured to each other, and the means supporting said table being releasable whereby the table may be lowered and the frame supported on said conveyors for movement therealong.

2. Apparatus for making wall panel frames formed of studs and end plates according to claim 1 wherein the fixed means is in the form of a bar extending throughout the length of the table.

3. Apparatus for making wall panel frames formed of studs and end plates according to claim 1 wherein the clamping means comprise units spaced longitudinally of the associated conveyor throughout the length of the table, and each unit has an arm projecting above the conveyor and a pneumatic device for actuating the arm.

4. Apparatus for making wall panel frames formed of studs and end plates according to claim 1 wherein the means supporting the table includes pneumatic devices at spaced locations under the table.

5. Apparatus for making wall panel frames formed of studs and end plates according to claim 1 including means projecting above the upper surface of the table adapted to be engaged by a side face of a stud thereby disposing it substantially at right angles to said fixed means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,779,092 l/1957 Gordon 29-200 3,212,694 10/ 1965 Sanford 227-152 3,319,323 5/1967 Groat 29-200 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 227-152 

